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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26316310">'Tain't What You Do (It's the Way That You Do It)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/old_and_new_friends/pseuds/old_and_new_friends'>old_and_new_friends</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Avatar: Legend of Korra</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Hanging Out, Multi, Swing Dancing, Team Bonding</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 06:07:00</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,740</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26316310</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/old_and_new_friends/pseuds/old_and_new_friends</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The Krew goes swing dancing only to discover the dance style is way more diverse then they originally knew. While initially the Krew struggles to connect, the group soon learns to mash what they can together and finally teach Korra Swing Dancing.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Bolin/Opal (Avatar), Iroh II/Mako (Avatar), Korra/Asami Sato, The Krew - Relationship</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>24</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>'Tain't What You Do (It's the Way That You Do It)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>If they seem really petty about the dance styles let me just say...that's just how the community acts. I know East Coast, Jitterbug, the Charleston and Lindy Hop but I've danced with West Coasters before so I know a bit about all of it, other than Blues. What I know is what I was taught so if that wrong take it up with my instructors.</p><p>WARNIGNS: This fic has imbedded links but they all lead to YouTube so don't worry about them leading somewhere sketchy (unless you find YouTube sketchy which fair enough). They are just there so you can see the actual steps because I was struggling to explain.</p><p>Sorry it's short, it's just so hard to explain dance moves.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“This will be so much fun!” Opal said, as she exited her boyfriend’s apartment. “I’m glad you thought of this Asami.”</p><p>“There wasn’t really any other answer, once I realized Korra had never gone to a Swing dance before,” Asami said, with a smile towards Korra.</p><p>“Hey,” Korra said, holding her hands up, “the dance style never made it to the Water Tribes.”</p><p>“Still, you’ve been in Republic City long enough,” Asami said, “it’s time you learned the City’s favorite dance.”</p><p>“I guess,” Korra said. “So, go over the steps with me again. You said it’s a step back on the left, then a-”</p><p>“No, a rock back on the left foot, then a step with the right. Then you triple step to your left then to your right before rocking back on your left foot again,” Asami explained.</p><p>“You’re teaching her to lead?” Mako asked.</p><p>“You’re teaching her <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkI-b5qrgis&amp;t"> EK Swing </a>?” Iroh asked.</p><p>“Yes,” Asami said, “I’m a follow, it’s easier for her to learn to lead from the beginning then for me to learn lead on top of the follow steps.”</p><p>Iroh shrugged. “I learned both,” he said, “it’s not as hard as you’d think but sometimes coming out of certain moves, I would forget what role I was dancing. You might have the right idea there, but EK Swing? Why not <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-f1jZcoFNVM"> RC Swing </a> or even better you could teach her the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5yubFAkySw"> Sato Hop </a>!”</p><p>“The Sato Hop?” Korra asked.</p><p>Asami huffed. “Despite the dance being named after my family, I don’t know it, nor do I wish to,” Asami said.</p><p>Iroh jerked back slightly. “Alright,” he said, smirking slightly, “someone doesn’t know how to do a swing out.”</p><p>Asami glared at Iroh but said nothing.</p><p>“Um,” Korra said, “what’s the Sato Hop?”</p><p>“The original version of Swing Dance,” Iroh said.</p><p>“I thought the original version of Swing Dance was the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCBG2W8OM1E"> Caldera </a>?” Bolin said.</p><p>“Pretty sure it’s the Sato Hop,” Iroh said.</p><p>“How can it be the Sato hop?” Mako asked. “The Sato Hop was based on the Caldera!”</p><p>“I thought it was based on the Omashu Bumi?” Bolin asked.</p><p>“What’s the Sato Hop?” Korra asked, again.</p><p>“The most advanced form of swing dance,” Iroh replied.</p><p>“No,” Asami said, “It was a stupid dance made up around the time my father invented the first Satomobile. They were such a big hit with the people that everything was being named after our family to the point where my father trademarked our name so no one could use it for their businesses. Sadly, a dance move that no one owns can’t be sued so the Sato Hop stayed.”</p><p>“It’s not stupid,” Iroh said. “EK swing is stupid, can’t handle an eight count so you dropped it to a six count instead.”</p><p>“The dances are unrelated,” Asami insisted. “EK swing has an eight count, too.”</p><p>“Anyway, Korra your girlfriend can’t do a swing out and that’s why she’s mad,” Iroh said, offering Korra his arm as they walked down the street. “Sato Hop is an eight-count dance. The basic goes like this, you rock step on your left, like EK swing, you step forward on your right, like EK swing, then you tripled step to your left, like EK swing. Then you apparently become unhinged if you ask Asami because you step to your right then your left before doing the last triple step to the right.”</p><p>“Um, I honestly don’t know what any of that meant but that’s okay, because I also don’t know what Asami said either,” Korra replied.</p><p>“Maybe RC swing would be better,” Opal said. “It’s the version I know.”</p><p>“Why?” Asami asked. “You live in the Earth Kingdom?”</p><p>“It’s just the version that made it to Zaofu first,” Opal replied. “The basics for a lead are Rock back on the left, step on your right, step to your left then step back to your right before you rock step again. You can do triple steps if you want but RC Swing is very adaptive so they can sometimes get in the way. There’s an eight count as well but you should get the six-count step down first.”</p><p>“That sounds easier, can I just learn that?” Korra asked.</p><p>“But then you can’t dance with me,” Asami said.</p><p>“It’s actually kind of difficult as it has no real basic,” Opal explained. “What I gave you was the best summation, there’s really six basics but even those aren’t basics. RC Swing is less about the steps and more about the feeling. You just need to get your follow on the other side of you.”</p><p>Korra’s shoulders dropped as she huffed.</p><p>“<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fs8tbzUr6cQ&amp;t"> Jitterbug </a> is a four count,” Mako said, at the same time Bolin asked, “What about the Caldera?”</p><p>“What?” Bolin asked when everyone looked at him. “Everyone knows the Caldera!”</p><p>The group paused right as they reached the door to the Swing Club.</p><p>“He’s got a point,” Iroh said.</p><p>“I don’t know it,” Asami said.</p><p>“Okay, Korra, your girlfriend doesn’t actually know how to swing dance,” Iroh said, walking into the club.</p><p>“Mako control your boyfriend,” Asami said, turning on Mako who raised his hands in surrender.</p><p>“Hey, I control Iroh about as well as I controlled you and Korra, which is to say, none,” Mako said, following his boyfriend.</p><p>“Can’t we stop fighting?” Opal said. “Asami, I’ve dance with EK Swingers before. RC and EK are actually really compatible. You should have no issue dancing with Korra if she learns RC swing.”</p><p>“Opal’s right,” Bolin said, wrapping his arms around Korra and Asami. “Let’s just have fun tonight.”</p><p>“Fine,” Asami said, wrapping her arm around Korra as the others walked in to join Iroh and Mako.</p><p>Mako was by the refreshment table. Iroh was on the dance floor already.</p><p>“He’s a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgpDqTFqQos"> blues </a> dancer, too?” Asami asked.</p><p>Mako nodded, his cup lifted to his lips.</p><p>“That explains everything,” Asami said.</p><p>“Oh?” Korra said, once again confused by the terminology. “What’s blues and why is Iroh not dancing with Mako?”</p><p>“Swing Dance is a social dance,” Mako explained. “You don’t really bring dates and when you do, it’s expected that you’re open to others dancing with them. Iroh’s fine. Blues is just another type of Swing Dance.”</p><p>“It shouldn’t be,” Asami said. “It’s too intimate.”</p><p>Mako shrugged, not seeming to care.</p><p>“Opal want to dance?” Bolin asked. “I only really know the Caldera. It one of the few versions of the dance style that really made it to the streets.”</p><p>“I know the basics?” Opal said, seeming to rack her memory.</p><p>“I can help you remember,” Bolin said, pulling Opal aside. “Korra, you and Asami can watch too.”</p><p>“Oh,” Korra said. “Okay.”</p><p>“So, you start like you would with regular swing, I’m doing it in closed position because open isn’t really ideal for the Caldera,” Bolin said, grabbing Opal’s hand and cupping it in his. He swung her into his side, so the two were hip to hip. His left foot moved behind him as his weight was leaned on it, then he stepped forward on his right foot. “It switches up here, and instead of steps you kick,” Bolin said kicking his left foot forward. “You bring your foot back to the ground, then kick forward then backwards with your other foot. Then you bring that one back to the ground and repeat with the rock.”</p><p>“Wow, Bolin,” Korra said. “I think that’s the clearest explanation anyone’s given me tonight. Can we try?”</p><p>Asami looked at Korra, then back to Bolin and Opal who were slowly making there way through the Caldera basics. No one would bother a lesson at a Swing Dance. Lessons were both common and very much left alone as new comers were helped through the dance moves.</p><p>“Okay,” Asami said. Korra pulled Asami into her side. “You need your hand on my upper back, it’s how you direct.”</p><p>“Got it, hand on your back,” Korra said, “and the other hand hold yours.”</p><p>“Yes, but take your thumb off my hand,” Asami said, “you’re cupping it, not gripping it.”</p><p>“Oh, sorry,” Korra said, pulling her thumb back.</p><p>“Don’t worry about it,” Asami said. “You’re still learning.”</p><p>“Whoa,” Korra said, looking off to her left. “What are they doing?”</p><p>Asami turned to see what had caught Korra’s attention and frowned slightly.</p><p>The slow song that had been playing when they walked in had ended and a much more upbeat song was playing. Iroh was no longer dancing the blues with a stranger and was instead dancing with Mako.</p><p>Asami watched as Iroh and Mako rocked back and stepped forward, only to triple step, then step twice in a circle. They ended on a triple step before launching into another <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzyQldsVDb0"> move </a>, where Iroh on the first triple steps move placed Mako’s hand behind his back. On the normal steps Mako spun until the two were facing each other with the arms now in crosshands, like a handshake for the last triple step. Iroh ran them through another swing out before pulling Mako into closed position and the two started spinning in a circle as they continued through the Sato Hop steps.</p><p>“That’s the Sato Hop,” Asami said, “let’s focus on learning the Caldera together.”</p><p>“Wonder where Mako learned that?” Bolin asked. “Think Iroh taught him?”</p><p>Asami looked back over as an even faster song came on and laughed as Mako pulled Iroh into something closer to the jitterbug. Iroh looked extremely startled at the pace but somehow managed to keep up.</p><p>“I think he may know it from somewhere else,” Asami said.</p><p>“Okay, new question,” Bolin said, “where’d Mako learn to jitterbug?”</p><p>The three women shrugged before going back to practicing the Caldera.</p><p>Iroh joined them a bit latter, grabbing a cup and getting water. “Mako’s insane,” Iroh said, once he finished his glass and stopped panting. “Where did he learn to jitterbug?”</p><p>“That seems to be the question of the night,” Korra said, moving to lead Asami into the Caldera basic again.</p><p>“That was good,” Iroh said.</p><p>“Thanks,” Korra said with a smile. “You and Mako looked great out there.”</p><p>“Really?” Iroh said. “I had no clue what happened during that second dance.”</p><p>“You managed,” Asami begrudgingly admitted.</p><p>“Fake till you make it,” Iroh said, smirking.</p><p>“The moto of swing dance,” Asami said with a laugh. “Sorry, I called the Sato Hop stupid. You two actually looked really cute dancing it.”</p><p>“Yeah,” Iroh said, scratching the back of his head. “Sorry, I made fun of you for not knowing how to do a swing out.”</p><p>A new <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4QZaG1CS-I"> song </a> started and Mako, who had been dancing with some stranger ran over slamming into Iroh.</p><p>“Time to put your new moves to the test,” Bolin shouted. “Six minutes of the Caldera starts now.”</p><p>“Six minutes?” Korra asked, slightly worried.</p><p>“It’s a stupidly long song,” Mako said.</p><p>“No one actually dances all the way though, Bolin was just kidding,” Opal reassured.</p><p>Korra still seemed hesitant as the other dragged them in a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bnpwmL_DbwA"> circle. </a> It was a smaller circle off to the side of the huge one forming in the middle of the dance hall. There were a few other smaller ones forming as well.</p><p>“If you don’t know the move don’t worry about it,” Bolin called as a man with a microphone started calling out random words.</p><p>When the man yelled out, “around the world,” those who knew the move, Mako, Iroh and Bolin, used the second and third kicks to launch themselves a full three sixty. The women laughed when Bolin accidently kicked his brother’s boyfriend when a move named the fly-fly was called for. They had backed up when the men appeared to be using the kicks to force their way into the center of the circle, which is where Iroh was kicked in the shin.</p><p>“Okay, no more,” Iroh said, hopping slightly away with his leg in his hand.</p><p>“Fly-flies are dangerous,” Mako said, jokingly to the others.</p><p>“More for solo and partner dancing then the Caldera circle,” Iroh said, rubbing where Bolin kicked him.</p><p>“Sorry,” Bolin said.</p><p>“Not your fault, I blame the caller,” Iroh said.</p><p>Asami grabbed Korra’s hand and Korra lead her through the basics to the song. Korra soon realized why the song was so popular for the dance, it had the perfect momentum for it.</p><p>From there on the night seemed to move more smoothly.</p><p>Asami did eventually get Korra dancing the EK Swing basics, though Korra insisted they at least learn the basics for Sato Hop when she saw Iroh pull a move with another stranger that hand him bent over and spinning his follow in a circle around him*. </p><p>Asami eventually caved.</p><p>Mako and Iroh walked them through it and Asami realized the basic was easier than she thought.</p><p>It didn’t take long before her and Korra were rotating around each other giggling until they got too dizzy to stand.</p><p>“Ah,” Iroh said, leaning heavily on Mako. “I remember my first swing out.”</p><p>Mako snorted.</p><p>“Speaking if which where did you learn to jitterbug?” Iroh asked.</p><p>“Oh, I-” Mako started before cutting off with a crazed grin as the words “When I was a kid about half past three,” where crooned out by the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8fCXNTCWig"> singer </a>of the band.</p><p>Mako and Iroh turned out to look at the floor and Iroh groaned. “Not this,” Iroh said. He hadn’t noticed anything different about the music but the second the lyrics started he knew exactly what was happening.</p><p>“Mako!” Bolin said, running past his bother and dragging him out on the floor. “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_I4GooehUuA"> Shim Sham! </a>”</p><p>“What’s the Shim Sham?” Korra asked.</p><p>“A tap dance from the darkest depths of the Spirit World, that somehow made it into Swing dance,” Iroh answered.</p><p>“That we can agree on,” Asami said.</p><p>“Whoa,” Korra said, her eyes going wide as she watched Mako and Bolin.</p><p>The two brothers were perfectly in sync as they moved through the line dance. The two were laughing and jokingly knocking into each other during the dance breaks. There antics had the other four members of the group laughing an urging them on.</p><p>“Alright folks,” a man called with the microphone, “it’s the last dance of the night, so grab your favorite partner and let’s cut a rug!”</p><p>It was a slower song, closer to blues then the typical swing music.</p><p>Asami gasped slightly as Korra swept her up into the EK Swing. Korra only really knew the basic and a few variations but that didn’t stop the bright smile that spread across Asami’s face as her girlfriend spun her.</p><p>Mako’s shoe soles must have been wearing down, with the way he was able to slide halfway across the dance floor into Iroh’s arms. </p><p>“Teach me the blues, baby,” Mako said.</p><p>“Only if you promise to never say that to me ever again,” Iroh joked. He pulled Mako in close and led him through the motions. The steps were ultimately simple but it didn’t really matter as the two of them ended up wrapped tightly together and swaying back and forth regardless of the music.</p><p>Bolin hooked Opal into the closed position when he reached her and the two quickly took up a slower Caldera. It didn’t work very well with the slower song even if the beats were right but the two could care less as they laughed and joked through every stumble and misstep.</p><p>When the song ended Asami pulled Korra into a kiss, while Iroh and Mako stayed tightly bound in their hug, and Bolin pulled Opal against his side in a dip, as he leaned so that Opal was fully supported on his own side.</p><p>The crowed cheered slightly for the band that played that night before people started dispersing out of the club.</p><p>“That was fun,” Korra said, as they made their way outside. “Even with the bumpy start but now I’m starving.”</p><p>“Yeah, Swing dancing works up an appetite,” Mako said.</p><p>“It’s basically a cardio work out,” Bolin seconded.</p><p>“So,” Opal asked, “where are we eating?” </p><p>“Narook’s,” Bolin, Mako and Korra said at the same time.</p><p>“A lot of good and filling food for cheap,” Korra said. The guys nodding in agreement.</p><p>“Lead the way then,” Opal said, grabbing Bolin’s hand.</p><p>Iroh threw his arm over Mako’s shoulder as Korra placed her hand on Asami’s waist and the six friends headed towards the noodle shop.</p><p>"Hey, Mako," Bolin said, stopping them outside the shop's doorway, "where'd you learn to Jitterbug?"</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So to break things down:<br/>* This move is called the Belt Bomb, I could not find a video of it.<br/>EK (Earth Kingdom) Swing = East Coast Swing<br/>RC (Republic City) Swing = West Coast Swing<br/>Sato Hop = Lindy Hop (Lindy Hop was for unrelated reasons named after Charles Lindbergh who at the time made a famous flight across the Atlantic. I named it the Sato Hop for reasons explained in the fic.)<br/>Omashu Bumi = Texas Tommy (Note Texas Tommy is both an old school dance style sort of lost to time as far as I know and a Lindy Hop dance move named after the dance style.)<br/>Caldera = Charleston (Charleston was named after the City in SC so I named the dance in this fic after what I call the capital of the Fire Nation, Caldera City.)<br/>Shim Sham, Jitterbug, and Blues are all names for the real life counterparts.<br/>Mako learned to Jitterbug from a studio next to the Police Station.</p><p> </p><p>  <a href="https://old-and-new-friends.tumblr.com/"> Tumblr </a></p></blockquote></div></div>
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